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WHEN
TALK TURNS TO TERROR
Homegrown Extremism In the U.S.

05/23/05

They've committed
1,200 crimes and acts of domestic terrorism inside the U.S. over the
past 15 years. Their attacks range from firebombing condominium complexes
to vandalizing university research labs, from spray painting sports utility
vehicles to destroying businesses and new homes. Who are they?

They’re eco-terrorists
and animal rights extremists who—unlike other activists
who debate the issues and work to change policies peacefully—take "direct
action" against people or companies they feel are abusing animals
or exploiting the environment.

"Attacks are
growing in frequency and size. Harassing phone calls and vandalism now
co-exist with improved explosive devices and personal threats to employees," he
noted.

And while these terrorists
haven't taken lives, Mr. Lewis said there are “troubling signs” that
this might change. “We have seen an escalation in violent
rhetoric and tactics. One extremist recently said, ‘If someone
is killing, on a regular basis, thousands of animals, and if that person
can only be stopped in one way by the use of violence, then it is certainly
a morally justifiable solution.’”

How are we
responding? With direct action of our own, including:

Creating
a “headquarters-based team of national intelligence analysts,
program managers, and seasoned field agents” that draws,
in particular, on our abilities to track terrorist money flows
and communications;

Producing
and sharing increased intelligence on animal-rights extremism and
eco-terrorism with our partners, including 64 raw intelligence reports
since 2003 and 19 strategic assessments since last year.